Expert: Scott Valentine - 5/10/2010

Question
I'm trying to print a panorama image on my Epson 2200.  I understand from talking to Epson that the driver has a limit of 44 inches but that using RIP software may allow the longer print.  I don't want to get bogged down in complicated profiling in the RIP software and I'm happy with the standard profiles. Can you recommend a good solution?

Answer
Hi Julie,

I don't really have a *good* solution, but one alternative is to split your document into pieces that overlap slightly. Of course, this has the down side of creating seams in your paper (I presume you want more than 44 inches because you're feeding from a roll).

The RIP software isn't too horribly complicated in most cases, since you should be able to get a profile for both inks and papers. Using RIP software also provides for sharing profiles for specific needs, so if you find someone else who is using a similar setup, you might be able to simply use their profile (I don't usually recommend this unless one or both of you has significant printing experience with the software - profiles can be corrupted, and sometimes include driver information that could conflict with your hardware).

My biggest caution for RIPs is the cost, though. Unless you plan to do a lot of printing, it may not be cost effective. That being said, you may find that a good mid-level RIP will give you a lot of flexibility you didn't have before, like spooling your print jobs (you'll need a small, cheap print server for this) and giving you better feedback from your printer. With the 2200, I believe you can get more detailed features like ink density and dot size control within the printing UI. And most RIPs will let you choose an arbitrary sample of your image to print at 'real' size so you can test different regions without printing the entire image.

I'm sorry I don't have a viable alternative, Julie. Without going to a print house, I think you might be stuck.

-Scott